Device for holding shoe-laces.



` W. F. SHULTS.

DEVICE PUB HOLDING SHUB LAUBS.

APPLUATION FILED AUG-.17|1907.

' Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

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WALTER I9. SHULTS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING SHOE-LACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 17, 1907.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 388,956.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Curran F. SnULT-s, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for I-Iolding Shoe-Laces, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

This invention relates to holding devices.

One of the objects thereof is to provide a simple and efficient device for securely holding the bow of a shoe-lace in position.

Other objects are to provide devices of the above nature iiiconspicuous in appearance, cheap in construction and convenient in use.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the embodiment thereof hereinafter described and the sco e of the application of which will be indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawings wherein is shown one of the various possible einbodiments of this invention, Figure l is a front view thereof. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the device in raised or inoperative position in dotted lines.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout both views of the drawings. Y

In order that certain features of this iiivention may be the more readily and thoroughly understood, it may heie be noted that broad heavy shoe-laces are now in somewhat extensive use, especially in connection with low shoes. In this use it is considered highly desirable to maintain the form and position of the bow of the laces but diiliculties are found Ain achieving this result largely on account of the size and weight of the laces, and the bows often have a loose and deranged appearance on this account. The above and other objectionable features are done away with by the use of devices formed and mounted in a manner similar to that hereinafter described.

Referring now to the accompanyin drawings, there is shown at 1 the tongue o a shoe upon which is secured as by the eyelet 2 a York, have j hase plate 2l. llate 3 is provided with,a .spring portion 4 preferably formed integral therewith and there are formed at each side of the plate lugs or ears 5. Iivotally mounted upon ears 5, as by the pin G is a clasp member T having a tail piece 8 co-actingl with the spring t. Member 7 is so formed as to provide a pair of arms 9 spaced one from another and lying iii substantially parallel planes, as clearly shown in the drawings. These arms are preferably of the curved conformation indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. These arms are provided npon their under side with prongs 10 for a purpose hereinafter described.

In order to avoid the chance of ambiguity in the interpretation of certain terms used throughout this description and in the following claim, it may here be noted that they are intended to be interpreted with the following signitlcance. By clasp is meant any device adapted to engage an article and hold the saine in position. By arm is meant any projecting portion irrespective of its conformation. By prong is meant any pointed member.

The method of ilse of the above described embodiment of my invention is substantially as follows: The. clasp member 7 is first raised to the position indicated iii dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and by reason of its relation to spring '-1 it is held in this raised position by the latter part. The bow 11 is then tied in the desired position and form and the clasp 7 then clamped downwardly over the central portion of the bow and is held in closed position by the spring. Prongs 10 are thus thrust through several thickiiesses of the bow and the arms 9 by their curved conformation lit closely over the same. The central portion 12 of the bow may then be. spread out to cover the arms and the entire knot is thus held in the desired position. To release the bow as should be obvious it is necessary merely to raise the clasp 7 whereupon it may be untied.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of my invention are achieved and in which the above mentioned advantages are among others present. The entire device is preferably enameled to correspond in color with the shoe and laces and may otherwise as by a proper conformation of parts be rendered so iiiconspicuous as to be unnoticeable. The construction is simple and inexpensive and ma);v be readily and cheaply applied and the action of the device is reliable, efficient, and

permits` of a quick manipulation. The parts moreover are of such a durable nature as to be well adapted to meet the demands of hard practical use.

As various possible embodiments of this invention could be made and as Athat above described might be changed in many particulars without departing from the scope ofthe invention it is intended that all matter mntaiicd in the above description or shown in the aecnmpanying drawings shall be taken as illnetratire and not in a sense to limit the invention to a narrower scope than that of the appended claim.

Haring thus described my invention, what I claim in new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device of the class described, comprising a clasp secured to the tongue of a shoe`Y said clasp being provided with a pair of curved 'ai-ins extending in substantially parallel planes and formed and adapted to eX- tend over the bow and engage the Same at cach `eide of the central portion of the knot and reet beneath the outer portion thereof, and means colnl'irising' a Spring adapted to hold said arms in either raised or closed pohition, the under surfaces of said `arms being provided with prongs adapted to pass into portions of the bow.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnessee.

WALTER F. SHULTS.

W'itneeees FRANCES M. KELLER, SAMUEL L. Anrn'i. 

